EIGHTY YEARS AGO: A record 75 miles of county roads were graveled this past year … 42,000 yards of rock was quarried and crushed for the project. This makes a total of 208 miles of such roads in this vicinity that have been put to grade and surfaced with rock, which is just about 20 percent of the entire local road mileage in the county. Total highway expenditures by the county during the last year alone totaled nearly $200,000.

EIGHTY YEARS AGO: Following a research of records at the local courthouse, it has been found that there were only four divorces reported in Winneshiek County last year, as compared to six divorces the two previous years. There were 303 marriage licenses issued. Wedded folks in the area are evidently much happier these days.

EIGHTY YEARS AGO: Road conditions from the recent snowstorms are the worst in years. Plows are busy day and night, but can’t cover the county in quick order. Many roads are blocked, as snow continues to drift. Efforts have been made to get some work relief crews busy in clearing the roads, but so far it hasn’t been possible because the relief men are busy moving that large county crusher from the Ossian quarry to another quarry over at Locust. Up to 60 relief workers are busy daily on that particular job. For now, locals will just have to deal with the snowdrifts.

…FRONT PAGE NEWS: Luther College professor has wed a girl in Germany. GE NEWS: Prof. Theodore Nickel from up at Luther College has announced his engagement via cablegram. Frauline Irma von Hafen is his lovely betrothed.

…The Jackson Junction Savings Bank is being liquidated. The bank has been operating under the restrictions of Senate File 111 for nearly two years.

EIGHTY YEARS AGO: Twenty-one men started work this week to put up ice for E.C. Dicks and Company. They will work for two or three weeks to cut and fill the icehouses. The men put up almost 200 tons per day with aid of a modern motor saw. The ice is now about 13 inches thick and is of splendid quality.

EIGHTY YEARS AGO: Mr. and Mrs. Richard Thompson, who reside between Decorah and Ridgeway, saved up their pennies and purchased a brand new Coronado Battery Console radio from the Gambles Store here in town. It took 45 minutes for Store Manager Geo. Vangsness and three Gambles salesmen, Art Kuhn, Paul Magner and James Runkle, to count out the copper coins, which weighed in at about 35 pounds.

EIGHTY YEARS AGO: A gala Santa Claus Parade, complete with pony and dog show, is commencing this Friday on the streets of Decorah. Of special note: Little Bo-Peep in all her sweetness is coming along with Santa for the special parade.

EIGHTY YEARS AGO: There is a possibility that up to 16 women will face a loss of work here in the near future. The women are employed in the sewing room conducted by the Emergency Relief forces at the local courthouse. The Board of Supervisors has yet to come to an agreement with the owners of the sewing machines they use to do their work. The women are busy hemming towels, making children’s dresses and doing other sewing for the unemployed persons on local relief rolls. It is hoped a compromise can be reached soon between the supervisors and the sewing machine owners.

EIGHTY YEARS AGO: More than $5,000 a year is being poured into Decorah, Luther College and the Decorah College for Girls as a result of the activities of the federal government’s Student Emergency Relief program. Thirty-three boys and nine girls are paid $15 a month at 30 cents per hour for the educational work. The New Deal is helping 2,000 students in 65 colleges nationwide.

EIGHTY YEARS AGO: Sheriff M. Graf has nabbed a slippery robber who stole $668.85 over in Dubuque. The police gong rang in Decorah early Monday morning and a short time later the phone in the office of Sheriff Graf rang with the alert. The calls were to notify the local authorities to be on the lookout for the man who robbed a tavern two miles out of Dubuque. When the daily bus arrived in Decorah in the morning, the local police were on hand to meet it. The bus stopped at the Winneshiek Hotel, where Sheriff Graf promptly confronted the suspect. The man gave up the roll of bills and $23 in silver. The thief was taken off to the local jail in quick order. He was described as a “tough egg;” but he was arrested here without any trouble.

EIGHTY YEARS AGO: There are now plans for a state park for the village of Bluffton. A 100-acre state park, comprising a strip of land up to 200 yards wide along each side the Oneota River for a total distance of one mile, is a strong possibility in the future.

EIGHTY YEARS AGO: If a farm fire should break out in this vicinity, the firefighters here in town will be ready to go. The Fire Department now boasts modern, new pumping equipment for fighting such blazes. According to Theo. Moen, fire chief, the fire-fighting equipment in Decorah has been doubled. A new truck has arrived and is reportedly doing efficient service.